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Death toll climbs to 25 in India building collapse

By KAY JOHNSON Associated Press

Posted:
09/27/2013 01:06:36 AM CDT

Updated:
09/27/2013 09:37:58 PM CDT

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Rescue workers carry a girl out from the rubble of a building that collapsed in Mumbai, India, Friday, Sept. 27, 2013. The apartment building collapsed in India's financial capital of Mumbai early Friday, killing people and sending rescuers racing to reach dozens of people trapped in the rubble.

MUMBAI, India—At least 25 people have been confirmed dead in a collapsed apartment building in India's financial capital of Mumbai, while rescuers have saved 32 others trapped under the rubble, authorities said Saturday.

The five-story building caved in early Friday morning near Dockyard Road in Mumbai's southeast, trapping dozens and launching an intense search mission.

Rescuers pulled a small girl alive from the flattened remains of the building nearly 12 hours into the search, invigorating the complex mission involving hundreds of workers with crowbars, hammers and heavy machinery.

But as the search continued overnight, more bodies were found. Alok Awasthi, local commander of the National Disaster Response Force, said the death toll had climbed to 25 by Saturday morning.

Rescue workers carry a girl towards an ambulance after she was pulled out from the rubble of a building that collapsed in Mumbai, India, Friday, Sept. 27, 2013. The apartment building collapsed in India's financial capital of Mumbai early Friday, killing people and sending rescuers racing to reach dozens of people trapped in the rubble. ((AP Photo/Rajanish Kakade))

The disaster was the third deadly building collapse in six months in Mumbai.

At least 72 people died in April in Mumbai when an illegally constructed building fell down, and in June, at least 10 people, including five children, died when a three-story building collapsed in the city.

Across India, buildings falling down have become relatively common. Massive demand for housing around India's fast-growing cities combined with pervasive corruption often result in contractors cutting corners by using substandard materials or adding unauthorized floors.

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Indian Fire officials look for survivors from debris of a collapsed building in Mumbai, India, Friday, Sept. 27, 2013. The multi-story residential building collapsed in India's financial capital of Mumbai early Friday, killing at least three people and sending rescuers racing to reach dozens of people feared trapped in the rubble. ((AP Photo/Rajanish Kakade))

Indian Fire officials rescue a girl from debris of a collapsed building in Mumbai, India, Friday, Sept. 27, 2013. The multi-story residential building collapsed in India's financial capital of Mumbai early Friday, killing at least three people and sending rescuers racing to reach dozens of people feared trapped in the rubble. ((AP Photo))